Gators offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier answers a question at Wednesday's Citrus Bowl press conference. (Tim Casey/UAA)
Nussmeier's Journey: From Maize and Blue to Orange and Blue
Wednesday, December 30, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
Florida's offensive coordinator spent 2014 at Michigan
ORLANDO -- Gators offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier set next to defensive coordinator Geoff Collins here on Wednesday during a Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl press conference.
More than once the two turned to each other as they took similar questions about their first seasons at Florida from a throng of reporters. Undoubtedly, Collins has turned to Nussmeier several times recently with questions of his own as the Gators prepare to face Michigan on Friday.
Nussmeier was Michigan's offensive coordinator a season ago and maintains close ties to several Wolverine players and coaches.
"I've got a lot of respect, obviously, for their program and their players,'' Nussmeier said. "I love those kids in that locker room. Obviously, I want Florida to win this game and I'm on Florida's team and I love our players. But there's a lot of great kids in their locker room."
Nussmeier was hired by former Michigan coach Brady Hoke prior to the 2014 season after spending two seasons at Alabama, helping the Crimson Tide repeat as national champions in 2012. However, with Hoke's job on the line and lackluster quarterback play from Devin Gardner and Shane Morris, Michigan fired Hoke and Nussmeier was out of a job.
Not for long.
First-year Florida coach Jim McElwain, who was replaced at Alabama's offensive coordinator by Nussmeier when he took over as head coach at Colorado State, hired Nussmeier to run Florida's offense.
A year later Nussmeier finds himself in a bowl game against his former team.
"I don't know how many times that has happened,'' McElwain said. "I would guess it hasn't been very often. I know he really enjoyed his experience there and I know he's looking forward to seeing some of the guys where were there when he was there.
"It is different."
Nussmeier downplayed the uniqueness of the matchup on Wednesday. He was in Ann Arbor for only a year and took on a difficult assignment with Hoke under immense pressure to win big.
The Wolverines finished 5-7 and missed a bowl game, prompting Michigan's administration to lure San Francisco 49ers head coach -- and former Wolverines quarterback Jim Harbaugh -- back to his alma mater to replace Hoke.
Michigan is 9-3 in Harbaugh's first season and he and McElwain have garnered national attention for the turnarounds they produced in their first seasons.
Similar to his only season at Michigan, Nussmeier faced quarterback turbulence midseason when Gators starting quarterback Will Grier was suspended. Sophomore Treon Harris took over and while Harris had some early success, the offense stalled down the stretch, including in back-to-back losses to Florida State and Alabama.
"The thing that we found over the last half of the season, we've got a lot of growth,'' Nussmeier said. "We need to grow. And a lot of young guys are playing and we're expecting a lot from the older players like [tight end] Jake [McGee] to bring those guys along and it's a learning curve. Every day is new.
"The biggest thing is we've got to improve every day and days we have, days we haven't."
Florida enters the Citrus Bowl ranked 109th nationally in total offense, averaging 338.7 yards per game. They were ranked higher early in the season prior to Grier's suspension.
In some ways, this Florida season seems divided into two parts due to the change of quarterbacks. When McElwain looks at the whole season collectively, he praises Nussmeier for the job he has done with a unit that started the season with significant questions at virtually every position.
"He's done an outstanding job," McElwain said. "Everyone knows kind of where we were going into it. We've done some really good things. There's things we're going to get a lot better at. Those parts are coming."
Before those new parts arrive, Nussmeier has an opportunity to match wits against his former colleague, Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison.
In his fifth season at Michigan, Mattison was retained by Harbaugh and is serving as defensive coordinator with the recent departure of D.J. Durkin to become head coach at Maryland.
"Coach Nussmeier is a definitely a close friend,'' said Mattison, who was on Urban Meyer's Florida staff from 2005-07. "I have tremendous respect for him. Everywhere he's been, he's been successful. He's done a great job this year. You can see with the youth. Doug's a great coordinator."
Florida faces a Michigan defense that is ranked fourth nationally, surrendering just 281.3 yards per game.
While Nussmeier has been able to provide Collins and Florida's defense some insight into Michigan's offense, he is very familiar with the Wolverines' defense, too.
Michigan posted three consecutive shutouts during one dominant stretch this season.
"Looking forward to, you know, competing against that defense that we competed against every day in practice last year and getting an opportunity to play against them in a game,'' Nussmeier said. "[Mattison] has played a big role in that. Obviously, he'll have a little familiarity with me and I will with him."
Once kickoff arrives and Nussmeier takes his usual perch in the coaches' booth, he'll see a lot of familiar names running around the field.
Some in orange and blue, others in maize and blue.
Perhaps he'll take a moment to reflect on his Michigan-to-Florida journey and the road a coach often travels.
"I had a great time in Michigan,'' he said. "Obviously, you know, the season didn't go the way we wanted to. But that's football. And when you're around this business long enough and you see the ups and downs and the ins and outs, you live day to day and you focus on each snap, each drive, each quarter.
"I'm very, very excited to be a part of the Florida Gators and looking forward to the game."
More than once the two turned to each other as they took similar questions about their first seasons at Florida from a throng of reporters. Undoubtedly, Collins has turned to Nussmeier several times recently with questions of his own as the Gators prepare to face Michigan on Friday.
Nussmeier was Michigan's offensive coordinator a season ago and maintains close ties to several Wolverine players and coaches.
"I've got a lot of respect, obviously, for their program and their players,'' Nussmeier said. "I love those kids in that locker room. Obviously, I want Florida to win this game and I'm on Florida's team and I love our players. But there's a lot of great kids in their locker room."
Nussmeier was hired by former Michigan coach Brady Hoke prior to the 2014 season after spending two seasons at Alabama, helping the Crimson Tide repeat as national champions in 2012. However, with Hoke's job on the line and lackluster quarterback play from Devin Gardner and Shane Morris, Michigan fired Hoke and Nussmeier was out of a job.
Not for long.
First-year Florida coach Jim McElwain, who was replaced at Alabama's offensive coordinator by Nussmeier when he took over as head coach at Colorado State, hired Nussmeier to run Florida's offense.
A year later Nussmeier finds himself in a bowl game against his former team.
"I don't know how many times that has happened,'' McElwain said. "I would guess it hasn't been very often. I know he really enjoyed his experience there and I know he's looking forward to seeing some of the guys where were there when he was there.
"It is different."
Nussmeier downplayed the uniqueness of the matchup on Wednesday. He was in Ann Arbor for only a year and took on a difficult assignment with Hoke under immense pressure to win big.
The Wolverines finished 5-7 and missed a bowl game, prompting Michigan's administration to lure San Francisco 49ers head coach -- and former Wolverines quarterback Jim Harbaugh -- back to his alma mater to replace Hoke.
Michigan is 9-3 in Harbaugh's first season and he and McElwain have garnered national attention for the turnarounds they produced in their first seasons.
Similar to his only season at Michigan, Nussmeier faced quarterback turbulence midseason when Gators starting quarterback Will Grier was suspended. Sophomore Treon Harris took over and while Harris had some early success, the offense stalled down the stretch, including in back-to-back losses to Florida State and Alabama.
"The thing that we found over the last half of the season, we've got a lot of growth,'' Nussmeier said. "We need to grow. And a lot of young guys are playing and we're expecting a lot from the older players like [tight end] Jake [McGee] to bring those guys along and it's a learning curve. Every day is new.
"The biggest thing is we've got to improve every day and days we have, days we haven't."
Florida enters the Citrus Bowl ranked 109th nationally in total offense, averaging 338.7 yards per game. They were ranked higher early in the season prior to Grier's suspension.
In some ways, this Florida season seems divided into two parts due to the change of quarterbacks. When McElwain looks at the whole season collectively, he praises Nussmeier for the job he has done with a unit that started the season with significant questions at virtually every position.
"He's done an outstanding job," McElwain said. "Everyone knows kind of where we were going into it. We've done some really good things. There's things we're going to get a lot better at. Those parts are coming."
Before those new parts arrive, Nussmeier has an opportunity to match wits against his former colleague, Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison.
In his fifth season at Michigan, Mattison was retained by Harbaugh and is serving as defensive coordinator with the recent departure of D.J. Durkin to become head coach at Maryland.
"Coach Nussmeier is a definitely a close friend,'' said Mattison, who was on Urban Meyer's Florida staff from 2005-07. "I have tremendous respect for him. Everywhere he's been, he's been successful. He's done a great job this year. You can see with the youth. Doug's a great coordinator."
Florida faces a Michigan defense that is ranked fourth nationally, surrendering just 281.3 yards per game.
While Nussmeier has been able to provide Collins and Florida's defense some insight into Michigan's offense, he is very familiar with the Wolverines' defense, too.
Michigan posted three consecutive shutouts during one dominant stretch this season.
"Looking forward to, you know, competing against that defense that we competed against every day in practice last year and getting an opportunity to play against them in a game,'' Nussmeier said. "[Mattison] has played a big role in that. Obviously, he'll have a little familiarity with me and I will with him."
Once kickoff arrives and Nussmeier takes his usual perch in the coaches' booth, he'll see a lot of familiar names running around the field.
Some in orange and blue, others in maize and blue.
Perhaps he'll take a moment to reflect on his Michigan-to-Florida journey and the road a coach often travels.
"I had a great time in Michigan,'' he said. "Obviously, you know, the season didn't go the way we wanted to. But that's football. And when you're around this business long enough and you see the ups and downs and the ins and outs, you live day to day and you focus on each snap, each drive, each quarter.
"I'm very, very excited to be a part of the Florida Gators and looking forward to the game."
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
QB
/ FootballFlorida Football | Interim Head Coach Billy Gonzales Media Availability | Ole Miss
Thursday, November 13
Billy Gonzales Media Availability 11-12-25
Wednesday, November 12
Gator Insider presented by Talon Wealth 11-11-25
Tuesday, November 11
Gator Insider presented by Talon Wealth (November 11, 2025)
Tuesday, November 11
